Her Way

The Hopes and Ambitions of Hillary Rodham Clinton

More than three decades ago, in the earliest days of their romance, Bill and Hillary struck a plan, one that would become both the foundation and the engine of their relationship. They agreed to work together to revolutionize the Democratic Party and ultimately make the White House their home. Once their "twenty-year project" was realized, with Bill's victory in 1992, their plan became even more ambitious: eight years as president for him, then eight years for her. Their audacious pact has remained a secret until now. While their plan was hatched together, Hillary had her own ideas about what it would take to achieve victory, She concluded that if she had any chance of winning the ultimate prize of her life, she would need to pursue it her way. That meant, among other things, carefully crafting a persona and a narrative to present to the American public that knew both so much and so little about her. Of course, Hillary Clinton is far from the only politician to exaggerate her past accomplishments, to stuff the unpleasantness of the past into corners where few look, to make mistakes and then pretend not to have done so. She is not the only politician to have said one thing and done another, to have left former friends and allies on the side of the road as she's moved ahead. Yet if a candidate asks us to consider her the smartest and most qualified of the pack, then she should shine brighter than all the rest. And Hillary Rodham Clinton is unique in that never before has such a high-profile candidate occupied the spotlight for so long without the public's learning the facts about so much that is crucial to finally understanding her. For decades, Hillary and Bill Clinton, along with a core group of friends and supporters, have told one story. Now it is time for another. Book jacket.